November 09, 2009

9 of 30 - Self Portrait

While setting up the camera for a self portrait I took this shot accidently triggering the shutter while trying to set up the timer. Out of all the photos I took this one was the most natural. Pregnancy has brought out the freckles on my face.

I feel like age is starting to catch up with me. I am 32 years old. Still very young. But I often stare at my eyes and see a wealth of experience in the depths. Experience that I have inherited because I share the same eyes as my mother.

After becoming a mother I notice that I instinctively react and do things and after the fact I often wonder how I knew how to do that. I must have seen my mother do it. I don't have any other explanation. Unknowingly as I grew up I was shaped by my own mother to become the mother I am today.

Omma has been gone for 5 years now and I still feel the pain of her absence. I take enormous comfort in the fact that when I feel down I can hug my son and know that the love I feel in this moment is what she felt when she'd hug me.

Self portraits are really hard for me and I think nearly everyone. This is a wonderful photo--natural like you said and great light. I'm enjoying your 30 days a lot. Such a good idea to do before a baby arrives. I'm inspired maybe to dust off my camera and do it again too (the 30 days, not the baby!)

It's a beautiful post, and I wanted to say that I have the same experiences. I haven't been a mom yet but whenever I find myself managing the kitchen or cooking even though I never learned to make anything before I had to cook for myself, I know I learned from the things that my mom do and from the tastes I felt in her cooking.
My mom is seventy years old next year, and I have the luck to share great days with her still. My thoughts go to you, Aimee, and your mom and her grandson.

My thoughts turned there today also. It was four years ago today, Aimee, that I last saw your Omma. About this time in the evening, when she kissed me and sent me home to get a good night's sleep. It was in the early morning hours of November 12th, when I got that phone call. I miss her still. But I love your blog and the life you share today.